Sediment and Erosion Control

Why Is Erosion Control Important?

Controlling erosion on construction sites is important because rain or wind events can cause erosion of sediment exposed by grading causing local flooding in public infrastructure.

Sediment is considered a pollutant because the soil increases the amount of turbidity in the nearby waters making it appear cloudy or muddy.

For this reason, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ND Department of Health, and the City of Bismarck require all construction activity over one acre to develop a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) in order to minimize the amount of erosion coming off of each site.

The City of Bismarck is mandated by the MS4 to inspect construction sites and see that they comply with regulations. Maintaining the on-site erosion controls is key in establishing effective erosion control.